Netherlands Working to Attract Horticulture, Dairy Investors to Ethiopia

The Netherlands is working to attract investors to Ethiopia in areas of horticulture and dairy and enhance ties between the countries, Netherland’s Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia Thijs Woundstra said.

According to him, the Netherlands is working to attract investors in areas of horticulture and dairy sectors.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the ambassador noted that his country is one of the largest investors in Ethiopia.

“We are one of the largest investors in Ethiopia. We all know the flower farms in Batu and other parts of Oromia. We are also investing in diary sector, which is Holland diary; and also Heineken, in addition to other joint venture.”

About 100 Dutch companies are investing in Ethiopia at this moment in the fields of horticulture products and diary, among others, it was learned.

Dutch companies have so far invested over one billion USD in Ethiopia and the embassy does cooperate by helping other investors into Ethiopia to produce better quality of milk, yogurt as well as horticulture products in Ethiopia, Woundstra stated.

The deputy ambassador further said, “If you ask me personally, (Ethiopia) is the land of origins and also the land of opportunities. Ethiopia has ample of opportunities for investors. It has large population, and a lot of potentials. But, to be frank, it is still not easy to invest in Ethiopia because there are still challenges that we share and overcome together.”

Netherlands is the largest trade partner of Ethiopia, he pointed out, adding that it is Ethiopia’s first export destination, mostly flowers, but also coffee and some horticultural products.

“At this moment we do have huge project with cool logistics together with ministries of agriculture and transport, seeing to get cool logistics to export avocado and other horticulture products from Ethiopia by train to Djibouti and then by ship all around the world. That will be one of the prime cooperation projects with Ethiopia,” according to Woundstra.

Source: Ethiopia News Agency